1 of 664: 1983 Audi Quattro
Audi Coupes equipped with the Quattro four-wheel drive system are smart investments at the moment, as limited supply and a fast, fun driving experience will always be a good combination for positive returns. This example is a one-owner Wyoming car that has recently turned up for sale at a dealer here on eBay in a classified listing for $36,900.
It may seem high to you, but don’t confuse this with the front-wheel drive edition (which is still a fine automobile and quite fun in its own right, but the Quattro cars will always hold an edge value-wise). The paint and decals are said to be original, which provides strong evidence that this Coupe was stored indoors. The 2.2L turbocharged engine was refreshed in 2016 to the tune of $8,000.
Inside, optional heated seats seem right at home in a vintage snow machine like this Audi, as do the leather-wrapped bucket seats. The dash does have some cracks in it – a common plight of German cars from this vintage – and the seller notes that some of the leather is beginning to look tired. Still, it’s holding up incredibly well for a car that was actually used, with 78,000 original miles on the functional odometer.
While the engine may look like a mess of vacuum tubes, it was a healthy performer in its day and still returns a spirited driving experience in 2018. Audi and VW’s five-cylinder motors make some wonderful noises, which is only heightened with a turbocharger is bolted on. The recent service included new brake lines, calipers, pads, CV boots, spark plugs, filters, oil change, front wheel bearings, tune up. While the price of entry seems high, I doubt you’ll ever lose money on a car like this.
Auctions Ending Soon
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now2 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now2 days$4,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now3 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now4 days$10,500
1974 Datsun 260ZBid Now6 days$200
Comments
35 years ago I worked with a very pretty girl who had a very rich daddy who bought her a brand new one of these. She had no idea what she had, never washed or waxed it, I recall she had several good sized dents in it too. I tell myself I could have forgave her because she was like a goddess, but in the end, I never could be with a woman who had no respect for fine machinery. Not that she had the time of day for me anyway. As a man I was (am) just the opposite of her. Homely, poor parents, and I drove a 79 Omni at the time, you get the picture?
@billy 007 we all dream dont we?
her loss.
At least you didn’t have a $35 ’60 Cornvair coupe to impress girls with.
No, I had a 65 Monza coupe, 110hp powerglide. Burgundy over black. Painted the tail silver to appear as a spyder. Looked good but not a performance standout…no chance against a secretaries 6 cyl. Mustang auto😞
This is the perfect situation for this car.
It is now a collector car that will rarely get driven, which is the best thing you can do with an Audi.
To me German cars like being used regularly. My 200 20V TQ Avant has 300K showing, has ALMOST always been reliable, enjoyed being fiddled with, and handled the snow on the way to the ski areas in a most amusing fashion.
Truly a 165 mph station wagon that rode great and preformed well regardless of the task.
Currently there is a 83 Ur Quat midstream in the conversion to an asphalt road racer, legal to drive on the street and well able to hold it’s own in Vintage Racing events, or drive to and/or up a ski mountain.
At least you didn’t have a $35 ’60 Cornvair coupe to impress girls with.
I have lusted after one of these since I was a kid. Now if only I could win the lottery, I’d buy this beauty and love it forever. This car is meant to be driven, and if you live and look after something enough, it can last forever.
From my experience with Audi products….they’re a blast to drive…but like other high end German machines they will drain your bank account rather quickly with repairs & maintenance. As a retired VW-Audi mechanic I wouldn’t touch it a 10ft. pole! Good luck to any new owner!
I am confused. Had several of these early 1980’s coupes, with front wheel drive, manual trans and five cyl, 10 valve engines. Also have had 4000’s with the five cyl, manual trans Quattro. Have had two 5000 turbo Quattro, one sedan and one avant. They did not have the flared fenders that this car has, that are common to the UR Quattro. So, this is a Quattro, but not a UR Quattro? Does this not have a five cylinder engine, w/ the Quattro driveline? Seems like the asking price is because they think it’s a UR Quattro……
It’s an Ur-Quattro, at least it is in the ‘states. 1983 was the 1st year they were imported here. An important note that Jeff left out of his write-up is that Audi made a little over 11,000 of these and ALL of them were hand-made (664 came to the ‘states and 99 to Canada).
Quattro guys identify their cars by engine code. Those codes were GV, MB, WR, WX, RR or just 20 valve. This one should be a WR Quattro, but I’m not sure about that – I’m not a huge Audi fan.
I do believe the standard FWD coupes were all normally aspirated 10 valve 5 cyl engines. It has been my belief that Audi only produced 632 UrQ’s for retail and they were all hand produced and included the longitudinally mounted turbocharged 10 valve 5 cyl. engine. The 11,000 number would seem to include the production of all the standard coupes which were assembly line cars.
The US bound 4 wheel drive homolugation UrQ’s all were built with the big fender blisters front and rear. The car pictured is clearly an UrQ.
Audi lent me one of these as they borrowed my van to haul around the “racing” 924 that was use in the movie Arthur for demos to different dealers. I fell in love with it and I am an ex-pro-rally driver so I lusted even more. I too have an Avant 200 10 valve turbo 200 (1989) with 300,000 on the clock and it is smooth as glass. And the only problem as been the headliner falling down. Even the seats are still in excellent shape.
But I still want a Quatro coupe!
Wayne,
The headliner is removable and with some effort can be refreshed. I took mine out on a beautiful Spring day with the windows down heading up a 7% grade over the front range of the Rocky Mountains a ways north of 100mph. A little crosswind and suddenly no view out my rear view mirror, headliner material blowing around and down in the back…oops!
About 12 to 15 hours of labor, some materials and glue and good as new (maybe better…higher quality material than OEM).
Always reminds me how the US got the hideous lights & bumper treatments…
It’s not a true ur-quattro. They were super rare and had a short wheel base with an obviously shorter back window. This is a normal quattro. They built around 11,000 of these for the road.
This is a true ur-Quat. 632 for the world is rare, and they were all hand built. The car you are referring to (11,000) is a simple Audi coupe, 5 cyl, front wheel drive normally aspirated hatchback.
I have owned 2 ur-Q’s and have friends who have owned as many as 15. I can assure you this car is the real deal.